Basseterre, St. Kitts (September 24, 2026)
A multi-agency team has begun a three-day exercise aimed at safely disposing of expired ammunition and ordnance while strengthening local capacity to manage weapons and explosives.
The exercise, which runs from September 23–25 at the Shooting Range at Bakers Point, involves personnel from the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) Infantry and Coast Guard Unit, the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF), and the St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Services (SKNFRS).
According to the St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service, expired munitions and ordnance are being safely detonated as part of the training. Members of the public have been asked to remain outside the designated exclusion zone throughout the exercise.
The initiative is being supported by the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS).
Speaking at the opening on September 23, Attorney General and Acting Minister of National Security, the Honourable Garth Wilkin, stressed the importance of addressing ammunition that has exceeded its useful life.
“Every round of ammunition that sits in a store, beyond its useful life, is a liability. It is a liability to the soldiers who must guard it, to the communities that live near it, and, if it ever leaves that store by the wrong door, to every citizen and resident of the Federation,” he stated. “Today, we begin to remove that liability.”
SKNIS reported that the disposal operations are being conducted under a Framework Agreement for Weapons and Munitions Management signed on September 22 between the SKNDF and MAG Caribbean.
The agreement is governed by the laws of Saint Kitts and Nevis, with the work being carried out in accordance with international standards and guidelines governing ammunition management, mine action and small arms control.
The wider project will be implemented in three phases. The first involves the destruction of obsolete ammunition, followed by training and mentoring of personnel at Camp Springfield. The final phase will provide the equipment and materials needed to support the safe disposal of munitions and ordnance.
According to SKNIS, the programme is expected to continue through December 2026 in its initial phase.
Wilkin said the initiative is intended to establish lasting national expertise rather than create dependence on external support.
“This is not an exercise in having others do our work for us. The purpose is to build our own national capabilities so that men and women of the defence force, and in time the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, are equipped to manage weapons and ammunition safely and accountably for the long term.”
Looking ahead, Wilkin said the agreement provides a framework for additional work as needs emerge.
“The framework agreement is deliberately designed as a platform. It allows us to agree further statements of work as needs arise. And the next priority for this government is to bring our armoury and ammunition storage arrangements fully in line with international standards.”
SKNIS said appreciation was also expressed to CARICOM IMPACS for its continued support of regional security operations and to the United States Department of State, which provided funding for the project.
Source: St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service
